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If I've got 34pts it's either a PS10 Vader with engine, or PS9 with Predator and TIE MkII for better greens.

This.

...as far as my list, I took Targeting Computer with Push on the Interceptors to buff the damage output (live dangerously) and relied on their Arc Dodging and Autothrusters to keep them alive. Jax was great in every game VS. Scum, just got unlucky in that last one v 70s. Luckily, I faced only one Miranda sans Biggs and she died pre-load release. I never shot Dengar in arc (1 game) and had great rolls vs. Fenn, though Soontir was the only ship standing with 2 hull at the end. I think a good Miranda Biggs player or one more FennBoats with average dice on my part would have ended my run fairly quickly.

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I think that you look at what Vessery gives you - raw muscle and constant pressure - and if that's not working for you then the opposite Vader build is to bring higher PS arc dodging at PS10. Could Trick Shot to preserve PS9 on everyone. I'd do that before I cut ASTS from QuickDraw.

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We're not done discussing the revival of Soontir Fel, and yet FFG released Lt Kestal...

Welp, All the more reason to do the challenge! Takes even higher curve to be worthy of flying the Baron.

When Lt Kestal is out, I will fly Soontir even more often to prove a point that Kestal is not the end of arc-dodgers.

I think Kestal is a great ability on an okay chassis. I'm pretty uncertain whether the chance to jack with defense rolls is going to be enough on what looks to be a 30-ish point TLT carrier. Without outside help, you're looking at naked dice against naked dice. Which does favor the attacker, but not by a massive amount. I wouldn't be surprised if it was one of those ships where it was effective in its role, but not widely seen because it is not overpowered. We'll see, who knows.

Basic strategy is the same as I discussed previously, but here is the list of what Soontir gets this time:

Source

Actions

Systems Officer

Target Lock

Coordinate

Evade/Barrel Roll/Boost

Experimental Interface

Focus

Daredevil

Focus + 1 Hard maneuver

Clear 2 Stress (INS REC)

Evade/Barrel Roll/Boost

That is a total of Six actions a round with the capability to move in any direction you want at any time without the need to perform a K-turn.

That looks extremely fun. I'll have to try it out sometime. I really like the idea of being able to coordinate a boost/barrel roll into EI daredevil. The positioning possibilities are fantastic. You could conceivably block with Soontir at PS 4 before moving on to attack a ship further back in their list.

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That looks extremely fun. I'll have to try it out sometime. I really like the idea of being able to coordinate a boost/barrel roll into EI daredevil. The positioning possibilities are fantastic. You could conceivably block with Soontir at PS 4 before moving on to attack a ship further back in their list.

Exactly. Even before this build, I've blocked Miranda countless times using the standard PTL build or run away from the impending bombs. The utility Stridan provides just beat palpatine flat out.

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Exactly. Even before this build, I've blocked Miranda countless times using the standard PTL build or run away from the impending bombs. The utility Stridan provides just beat palpatine flat out.

Coordinate has been amazing in the Upsilon lists I've run. Recently I've just been going with a cheapish generic to pair with my aces:

36 SKBP w/ Adv Sensors, Vader.

It's such a great support ship. You get 1-3 really nasty attacks, then as you turn around you're buffing your aces with coordinated actions. You can sprinkle in inspiring recruit too, for the stresshog matchup.

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@SabineKey Some quick update. I couldn't participate in Singapore Open Championship due to business trip, but the Final round lists were 2 Defenders and Soontir VS Parattanni. Parattanni won in the end but I'm pretty happy that the interceptor still went second :). Will update this post once I get more info on the details.

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Why limit this to just Fel and Carnor? Surely Vader, Whsiper, Omega Leader, Inquisitor, and all the other aces that are equally underplayed should be included.

On 5/15/2017 at 1:59 AM, Arthur_McGuire said:

No. I haven't seen a single Interceptor in any competitive list for ages now. All the others are quite good compared (even Vader). It might have something to do with shields...

On 5/15/2017 at 9:25 AM, nigeltastic said:

Those were my exact words yeah. The guy who flies Vader most frequently flies predator atc eu Vader, Quickdraw with expertise and baffle, and palp shuttle with collision detector. He took it to worlds and made day 2, ending in the top 100 somewhere. I haven't had a chance to find out what gave him trouble day 2 but the list is very good and definitely reminiscent of the 'good ole days' of palp aces.

On 5/17/2017 at 9:08 PM, Shenannigan said:

My worry is bombs. You can't arc dodge well placed or even marginally well placed bombs. Sabine and cluster mines in Miranda can just eliminate your 35 points.

I really do want fly interceptors now.

On 5/19/2017 at 3:27 AM, Punning Pundit said:

When I fly Vader, I drop EU for Engine Mark 2. Let's me take a K-Turn and clear stress.

On 5/21/2017 at 10:58 AM, SabineKey said:

I'll answer 2 first for better clarification. I define an Imperial Ace as at least PS7 and having multiple repositional actions. Vader with EU gets in, and Whisper gets in because of decloak. If the /sf unique pilots were given EU, they would count too.

Now for question 1, I'm going for Jax and Fel as they are in the most fragile frame of the Aces. There are also some well known predators for some of the other Aces (like TLT for Vader, high PS turrets for Whisper) that everyone knows and accepts. This is about clearing up what of the previously listed ideas can be overcome. What's a real threat and what's just a boogieman.

Originally, I was going with just Fel, as I have been seeing more debates on whether he is viable or not lately. But I decided to broaden the test to include the other Interceptor classic of Jax to test the chassis itself in an anti-Ace meta. Plus, his ability is particularly potient in the current Mindlink Heavy meta, so I felt he might surpass Fel at this time. I didn't include Turr Phennir and Tetran Cowell as they didn't make much of a splash before now. If they start to gain traction, I may reconsider that point.

On 5/22/2017 at 11:53 AM, Stay On The Leader said:

If I've got 34pts it's either a PS10 Vader with engine, or PS9 with Predator and TIE MkII for better greens.

Interceptors do suffer uniquely in the current meta, the abundance of fancy arcs which hinder arc dodging while ignoring AT hurts as does all the ships which can exploit stress. The lack of shields also means that a single crit getting through can totally cripple them and the increased numbers of PS 9 ships hurts too. That's not even touching bombs. They are still far from useless though, it's just that the current meta seems tailer made to hate them.

My preference with Vader is keeping it simple with just ATC and Juke, gives him a strong kick without turning him in to a point sink. Fly him along with VI Juno and Ion /D Vessery, and gotten second out of ten and third out of twenty respectively at my last two tournaments.

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I finished in the top 4 of a 40 person Atlanta area SC this past weekend. Build was Soontir, Quickdraw, and Palp. Played 5 jumpmaster builds and 2 Rey Falcons. Dengar/Asajj finally knocked me out in the semi. It was a fun day, but I got lucky with my matchups, never seeing any of the mirandas in the field. Fel is just too risky with all the sources of stress and auto damage out there nowadays. Sadly, it's not a repeatable strategy I feel.